


Steve and the Wolf

by daughtershade



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Animal Friend, M/M, Mystical nonsense, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 01:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4857758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughtershade/pseuds/daughtershade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a mysterious plane crash, Steve is befriended by an unusual wolf.  The tower and Tony Stark will never be the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to stress that before you read this you should know that wild animals are not pets! I understand that, you understand that, everyone should understand that. Now ignore all that and enjoy cuddly fictional wolf friends.

His first thought upon regaining consciousness was “well, that could have gone better.” Steve slowly got to his feet and looked around. Thankfully, the wet snowfall was preventing the burning plane wreckage from catching the forest ablaze. He’d bailed out right before the crash and used his shield against the trees to break his fall. There was blood dripping into his eye. He hadn’t been wearing the costume’s helmet in the plane, hadn’t thought he needed it. Steve gently prodded his head and groaned when his gloves rubbed into a gash running into his hair above his right temple. His head was throbbing and the landscape was spinning slightly. It was likely a concussion, but he knew from experience that the serum would take care of that in a few hours.

“I have the worst luck with planes,” he muttered to himself.

The concussion was making it hard to focus. He had to move away from the wreckage because, snow or no snow, the jet fuel was highly volatile. Plus, there was the matter of whatever had shot them down. The whole cockpit had been taken out by the blast. He’d been chatting with the co-pilot just moments before the explosion. If Steve hadn’t gone back into the hold to double check the mission equipment, he would have suffered the same instantaneous fate as the other two agents.

Steve stumbled further into the forest. He pulled a compass out of one of his belt pockets, but his eyes weren’t cooperating enough to let him read it just yet. The snow was making it difficult to stay upright with his loss of balance. Steve paused, leaning up against a tree. He needed help. He had no idea where he was. They had been flying over Montana, hadn’t they? He wasn’t sure. Steve slipped the compass into his other hand and began digging for his Avengers communicator. It looked like a regular Starkphone, but Tony had assured him it would get a signal anywhere on the planet.

“I don’t care if the parameters are crap, you’re supposed to anticipate my needs, JARVIS, that’s why I made you—hello?”

Despite the pain and the slight nausea Steve couldn’t help but give a small grin. Tony had a bad habit of answering the phone in mid-conversation if he was in the lab, whether it was with whoever happened to be there, or just his usual self-rambling. That was if he decided to answer the phone at all.

“Tony? Tony, I need help.”

“Cap? What’s going on?” he replied, distractedly. “You said Clint and I couldn’t go on the mission with you because we were born without tact, but I have no idea what you were talking about.”

“The plane’s down, Tony. The pilots are dead. I’m…I’m not sure where I am.”

“Steve?” Tony said softly.

His whole tone of voice had changed. It was always strange to be the center of Tony Stark’s attention. Usually, Tony was going a hundred miles an hour in twelve different directions, but sometimes Steve would say or do something that would make the other man go quiet. Those big brown eyes would focus and bore into him. It always made Steve uncomfortable. It was like Tony was peeling back Steve’s skin in his mind trying to figure him out like he did one of his machines.

“Steve, are you hurt? JARVIS, get me a location, and assemble the others.”

“I’m fine. There was some kind of blast. Not a rocket I don’t think. Took out the cockpit with no warning.”

“Yeah, yeah, back to the fine, Steve. Describe fine, because with you it could either be nothing or your arm could be off.”

“I think you’re getting you and me confused, Iron Man.”

“Sit-rep, soldier. I’m serious. Bruce is going to ask me details, you know that he is.”

“Concussion. Must have got a knock to my head on the way down. The shield took the brunt of it. I think my knee is a little twisted, but I can walk on it. I should be fine in a couple of hours. I’m in a forest. There’s snow. I don’t know…I’m kind of turned around. Can’t stay with the wreckage, not sure who shot us down.”

“We can track you with the communicator. Do not lose it! Try to find some shelter, but do not go to sleep, you hear me? I’m going to notify SHIELD in case they have someone closer, but we are on our way.”

“I think I hear something. I have to go, Tony, I have to go.”

“Steve don’t you dare tur—“

He ended the call mid sentence and started moving deeper into the woods looking for cover. The uniform wasn’t the most subtle of clothes. At least blue blended better in the wintery colors of the forest than it would in other locations. Steve started to make his way up the mountain. With his knee the way it was, and the snow and brush, it was hard going. His trail was far too obvious, but Steve didn’t have time to try and cover his tracks.

As he reached the crest, there was a hollowed out area where a large boulder must have come loose and rolled down the mountainside many years ago. It wasn’t quite a cave, but it was sheltered from the wind, and the snow was thin on the ground. Steve sat with his back against the rock and hugged his knees to his chest for warmth. His shield was still strapped to his arm, so he felt cocooned between it and the mountain behind him.

He tried to listen for any noises that didn’t fit, but the woods were quiet, blanketed by the heavy clouds above and the snow that was everywhere. He knew better than to fall asleep in the cold, but it was difficult with the concussion. His eyes kept drooping and he’d have to shake his whole body to keep from succumbing. It helped that he hated the cold. He didn’t want to fall asleep only to wake up another seventy years in the future. But no, this time he had someone coming for him. The communicator would lead the Avengers or the authorities straight to him. He just had to hold out.

Steve rested his throbbing head on his knees and shivered. Time seemed to pass but with his concussion it was hard to tell if it was a few minutes or a few hours. He could tell though when something changed. There wasn’t a sound, but there was a feeling. Somehow he knew that he was being watched. He lifted his head slowly and looked down the mountain. There were trees, bushes, snow, rocks, more snow, and a pair of yellow eyes. Steve held his breath. The eyes belonged to a large grey wolf. It rounded a small rocky outcropping and sat on its haunches. Steve was upwind because the wolf kept raising its nose to sniff the air, scenting him.

The wolf was large. Larger than the scraggly ones he’d seen in the Bronx zoo growing up. It was a mix of grey, white and some tan. There were dark black accents around its ruff, ears and face. The eyes that he had noticed first were a bright gold blending into darker saffron at the iris. It was still sitting there looking at him without fear with ears perked forward curiously. It was beautiful and normally Steve would have relished the opportunity to see a wolf in the wild, because it would make a great thing to sketch. Given his situation though, cold, lost, and injured, he was more worried where the rest of the pack was.

“I hope the rest of your family isn’t waiting to pounce,” he muttered.

The wolf tilted its head as if in response.

“I’m not having a very good day. I don’t want to make it worse by hurting you guys. I think I’ve had enough of people trying to kill me today.”

The wolf gave a small huff of air through its nose. To Steve’s confused mind, it almost sounded amused. It got to its feet and carefully made its way up the slope toward him. Steve watched as it moved to the edge of the overhang where the snow started to thin. It kept a wary distance, but lay down under the remainder of the cover. The wolf was positioned at an angle to keep both an eye on Steve and the mountain below.

“Oh, I see. I’m in your spot. Sorry.”

It made sense really. Steve had chosen the location for the same reason the wolf would. The overhang provided shelter and cover while still allowing a good view of the mountainside below. The terrain above was rocky and steep so anything coming that way would make noise. It was tactically sound, or for a wolf, a good vantage point for looking for prey. Steve stared at the animal and tried to memorize all the details. He promised himself he’d take time to draw this once he was home and healed. He wished his fingers weren’t cold and covered by his gloves otherwise he’d try using the camera on his phone. No one would believe this. Steve could just imagine the jokes Clint and Sam would make when he tried to tell them.

The two of them sat silently watching the snow fall. The stinging of his face had given way to numbness. Steve used his free hand to rub at his nose and poke at his wound again. The wolf turned its head to stare fully at him. Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped. He was a little self conscious sitting next to a large predator smelling of blood. The wolf didn’t seem to care though. Perhaps Steve looked like too much trouble. The quiet moment was broken when the wolf whipped its head around and stared down the mountain. Its ears flattened back slightly and it gave a low growl that Steve felt more than heard. It reminded him of the rumble of thunder in the distance. He began to move slowly, quietly trying to loosen up his frozen up joints. He had a feeling that whatever the wolf was unhappy with had more to do with his plane crash than with nature.

Sure enough, a few seconds later there was movement in the trees below. It was all the warning he got before a bullet pinged against his shield, and the sound of a gunshot a second later broke the silence of the forest. Steve drew himself tighter against the stone behind him and tried to get as much of his body behind the shield. He was a sitting duck, and there was nowhere to go but down towards his attacker. There would be several. No one came looking to take out Captain America on their own.

The wolf, wariness gone, darted down the mountain in one fluid motion. He split through the undergrowth heavy with snow. Steve didn’t dare peek out to see where he went. The last thing he wanted was to give the shooter below more of a target than the safe circle he hid behind. At least the animal would be safe from stray bullets. Steve strained to hear any movement below him. They’d likely try and flank him, which would at least bring them out into the open. He didn’t dare try to throw his shield though. It would leave him far too exposed. He was contemplating risking backing away around the side of the mountain, broken rocks over steep, snow covered ground would make it very tricky footing. Before he could fully decide, there came another sound from the brush below. The wolf snarled and growled, and he heard a man cry out in surprise or pain. There was a sharp yell that faded into an awful sounding gurgle. His time on the battlefield had left him with the horrible knowledge of just what a man sounded like choking on his own blood. Steve risked peeking out over the top of the shield, but he needn’t have bothered, the attackers were well and truly distracted. Several more gunshots sounded, but they weren’t aimed at him. The foliage shook sending snow cascading down, making a mini blizzard that blocked his view further. There was just a muddle of sound highlighted by the sharp crack of gunfire. Birds burst from the tree tops, and suddenly the forest quieted once again. Steve strained to hear anything through the sudden silence. There was nothing. He carefully got to his feet, reaching up to balance himself on the rock above his head.

After a moment, the undergrowth parted and the wolf appeared once again. Its muzzle was dirty with blood. It limped up the hill, keeping weight off its front right leg. There was a gouge on the side of it, dripping blood into the snow. Steve lowered himself back down keeping the weight off his injured knee. The wolf returned to the spot he’d been at, as if nothing had happened. He started licking the wound in between his heavy pants for breath.

Steve leaned his pounding head back against the rock and stared at the creature.

“Thank you,” he said.

The wolf ignored him.

The wound didn’t seem to want to stop bleeding. Steve gently set the shield aside and dug into one of the pockets on this belt. He pulled out a small first aid kit and separated out the gauze. He moved very slowly holding the gauze out in front of him. The wolf’s eyes went to him the moment he crossed the agreed upon invisible barrier between them. It growled that low growl again. Steve just held the gauze in front of him without moving forward and further. 

“I want to help you because you helped me, okay?” he said.

If he found it strange to be negotiating with a wolf, well it wasn’t hardly the strangest thing that had happened to him lately. The wolf sniffed carefully at the gauze. It pulled back and stared at Steve with those amazing eyes.

“You’re a pretty smart fella, aren’t you? Come on, let me help. That’s it. Good boy.”

Steve kept up a string of soft nonsense as he leaned forward slowly, telegraphing his intentions. The wolf edged back a bit, reluctantly. Finally, Steve laid the gauze on the wolf’s wound. It was treated with some sort of antibiotic stuff. His old SHIELD liaison that had briefed him on his uniform had explained it all, but all Steve knew was that it was worlds better than the sad little med kits he and the Commandos had once carried onto the field. Carefully he wound the gauze around the wolf’s leg and tied it off. He held the front paw in his hand and was surprised to see how large it was up close. The wolf’s legs were thin, but strong, they led up to powerful shoulders and haunches. Once the wound was treated, Steve carefully set down the paw, and inched back slowly onto his side of the overhang. The wolf waited until he was seated and holding his shield again before leaning down to sniff at the white covering.

“See all better.”

The wolf looked at him again, and his eyebrows quirked. He seemed to be looking up at Steve’s hair. Realizing, he touched the tender wound and shrugged.

“I have a hard head.”

The wolf gave a soft snort at this before lying his head down on is paws. Steve hugged his knees to himself once again, ignoring the twinge it gave his injured one. The two of them waited in silence, Steve fighting off sleep. The wolf had no such trouble. Steve focused on the sound of the animal’s breathing. It lulled him into a kind of meditation. Bruce had been trying to teach him the art, but it was difficult. Steve’s slightly enhanced senses made it hard for him to let everything go and clear his mind. It also didn’t help that once he emptied his mind, it inevitably became filled with thoughts of Bucky and his continuing search for the Winter Soldier. Steve didn’t care much for meditation.

After a time, there was the sound that made Steve smile. The quinjet engines were very distinctive. The wolf was awake and alert again. Steve rolled his head to look over at his companion.

“That’s my ride. Guess I better go meet them. Thank you again.”

The wolf didn’t look at him as he rose to his feet and slowly started back down the mountain. He met Clint, in cold weather gear, half way down. The tight line between the man’s eyes eased when he saw Steve, and his usual smirk replaced the hard look quickly.

“You look like shit, but even that’s better than the two decked out in tactical gear I passed getting up here.”

“One had his throat ripped out?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, didn’t look like your work.”

“Wasn’t. What about the other one?”

“Bled out. Whatever it was got the femoral artery in his leg,” Clint said, coming around to pull Steve’s arm around his shoulders, taking some of the weight off his injured knee.

“Shouldn’t mess with Mother Nature. I’m surprised there were only two.”

“Scouts looked like. Didn’t have much gear. Must have just been sent out to make sure everyone died in the crash.”

“Any news?”

“Nat is checking them over, but I doubt they have anything identifying on them. They looked like professionals. Bruce and Tony are examining what’s left of the plane. Sam’s doing aerial recon. He’ll be mad I found you first. FBI and Homeland Security have got teams on the way.”

Steve leaned on his friend glad for the warmth. It was slow going as the snow was much slicker going downhill than coming up. Eventually they came through the trees to the battle site. The blood coated the white blanket melting it into divots. He barely blinked before he realized that Natasha was beside him dressed all in white. Her coat had a hood with grey fur trim.

“Hi,” he said dumbly.

Her eyes went up to his head and only the slight twitch of the corner of her mouth revealed her worry. She turned back to the horrible scene before quirking an eyebrow at him.

“Wolf,” he explained.

Clint looked around nervously and said, “Great that’s all we need.”

“He won’t bother us.”

“Made a new friend, did you?” Natasha asked.

“Something like that. How far away are we?”

“Not far. We landed in a clearing beyond the wreckage.”

The three of them started to move again once Natasha placed a tracking marker on the nearest tree. The FBI team would come for the bodies. Steve’s head dipped the further they went. The serum gave him increased stamina, but the cold was having a bad affect on him. He had never liked winter as a boy. He’d spent too many of them sick in bed trying to avoid the drafts in his mother’s tiny apartment. And while he didn’t remember anything from the ice, he was now keenly aware of the temperature. As winter had settled in on New York, Steve had caught himself turning up the thermostats in the tower. So much so that Jarvis had noticed it, and had started automatically adjusting any room he was in a few degrees warmer. The others had commented on it as they found themselves sweltering when all of them were in a room together. Steve, who was normally conservative when it came to spending, was a little embarrassed when Tony made an offhand comment about using his billions to fund Steve’s heating bill. He’d taken to wearing extra layers and two pairs of socks instead.

Clint helped Steve around a large thicket, and they emerged onto the edge of the crash site. Tony’s armor was garish against its current backdrop. The helmet turned and Steve forced himself to lift his head up.

“You okay?” the hollow sounding voice asked.

Steve blinked at his friend.

“Fine.”

“Uh huh. How many fingers am I holding up?” Tony asked.

He held up the gauntlet and waved it about quickly. Steve had trouble tracking the fast movement.

“Hold still and I’ll tell you,” Steve replied, grumpily.

“That’s what I thought. Bruce! Bruce, get over here and get him in the quinjet before he’s a Capsicle all over again.”

There was a rustle behind some bent pine boughs, and Bruce came into view. He circled around and traded off with Clint. Steve found himself leaning against the doctor, who was already prodding at the wound on his head.

“Tony, look at burn pattern over there on the starboard side. I’m pretty sure it’s the point of impact,” Bruce said, absently.

“Yeah, yeah….”

Steve was led past the wreckage and down a short slope. There was a small clearing there. Steve had obviously gone the worse direction after the crash. The quinjet barely fit in the oblong space. He imagined that it hadn’t been an easy landing. The back ramp was down. They had to circle around the edge of the clearing to reach it. Bruce pulled up sharply when they got to the foot of the ramp. Steve was confused until he looked up into the jet. Lying at the top of the ramp was the wolf. He looked just as at ease inside the high tech plane as he had on top of the mountain.

“Um,” Bruce paused before saying, “shoo?”

Steve grinned.

“Don’t mind him,” he said, and ambled up into the plane.

He strode past the wolf and sat down heavily in one of the chairs. Bruce seemed reluctant to follow. He came up the ramp slowly, and gave the wolf a wide berth. The animal sniffed at him as he passed and gave a deep judgmental huff. Bruce dug around for supplies before coming to kneel in front of Steve.

“I’m not even going to ask. How’s the head? Any vomiting? Nausea?”

“Some nausea at first, less now. It’s been more dizziness, disorientation. I had trouble seeing at first, that’s gone now.”

“Good. It’s probably just a slight concussion. Given the state of the plane back there, I’m surprised you’re able to get around at all.”

“Like I told my friend here, I have a hard head.”

The wolf yawned showing off sharp teeth. There was still blood clinging to the fur around his jaw. Bruce looked a little unsettled.

“I’m glad he’s your friend.”

Before Steve could reply, Clint came barreling up the ramp and skidded to a halt right in front of the wolf. The two jerked back away from each other in surprise. Clint ended back at the bottom of the ramp. The wolf was on its feet. It backed up in between the seat Steve was sitting in and the one beside it. It gave an unhappy growl and snapped its teeth in Clint’s direction. Steve gently reached over and laid a hand on his rump. The wolf stilled. He turned to look over his shoulder at Steve.

“It’s okay. He’s with me.”

They stared at each other for a few seconds. Finally, the wolf turned. Steve’s hand slipped along its spine until he could feel the movement of a shoulder blade under his palm. With a grumbling sounding growl the wolf sat and leaned his weight on Steve’s seat.

“That’s remarkable. I wonder if he was someone’s pet before?” Bruce said.

“What the hell, guys!” Clint yelled.

“You just startled him,” Steve said. “It’s okay.”

“I startled him?”

There was the sound of metal on metal as Tony moved past Clint and up the ramp. His face plate was popped open. He paused for a moment to see Bruce kneeling in front of Steve who had a wolf at his side.

“Oh my god, really? Did the birds sing to you too, Snow White? Unbelievable,” Tony muttered and moved past all of them to take the co-pilot’s seat.

Clint followed more carefully, and he and the wolf stared each other down before Clint darted past Bruce and hopped into the pilot’s seat beside Tony. After a moment, Steve could hear Natasha’s voice outside. She was still talking into her coms, probably to Sam, as she climbed the ramp. She didn’t do much as glance at the others before sitting across from Steve and belting herself in. Bruce taking the better part of valor, sat next to her instead of the empty seat beside Steve and the wolf.

“Shouldn’t we make it go outside? It’s a wild animal, aren’t they protected?” Clint asked.

“I don’t think they’re on the endangered list anymore. Besides, you tell him to get out,” Bruce replied.

Tony was focused on the console, but he said, “We’re not taking your pet home, Steve.”

“He’s not a pet. He saved me from those men.”

“Whatever. Stark Tower is a wild animal free zone, myself excluded.”

With a sigh, Steve looked down at the wolf. He took his hand off its shoulder and tugged his glove off. Carefully, he reached forward and buried his hand into the thick fur of the wolf’s ruff. The animal turned to look at him with those wise golden eyes. Steve started stroking his head gently like he would a dog. The wolf’s eyebrows quirked, but he sat still and let Steve pet him.

Steve leaned forward a bit and said quietly, “You should go home now. My pack came for me. I’m safe now.”

The wolf gave a soft whine, and proceeded to rest his chin on Steve’s injured knee. His eyes half closed in pleasure as Steve gave him a good scratch behind the ears. With a sigh, Steve leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He was asleep before they finished the preflight checks.

The next thing he was aware of was the thump of the quinjet landing. Steve startled out of a deep sleep to hear Tony chiding Clint’s flying skills. Sam joined in pretty quickly, and Clint’s loud protest made Steve wince. Bruce stood and stepped over to check on him. He waved the doctor away, and it was only as he was putting his hand back down did he realize what it had been resting on. The wolf huffed at him and ghosted down the ramp to smell the new environment.

Tony walked past them with his helmet under one arm. He was watching the wolf with a look of genuine distaste.

“If he pees on anything, you’re paying for it, Rogers.”

“I’m planning to teach him a taste for expensive Italian shoes,” Steve quickly replied.

Tony shot him a look over his shoulder before stepping over to a circular place on the floor. The stripper arms pealed out of the floor and started removing the armor piece-by-piece. The wolf was drawn to the movement and circled around behind Tony curiously. Sam, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, helped Steve to his feet with a laugh.

“He had better learn the difference between women’s shoes and men’s if you plan on that course of action,” Natasha said.

Bruce chuckled and followed them out into the Tower hanger. Once Tony had been peeled like shrimp and the arms had disappeared into the floor, the wolf took the opportunity to give him a good sniff. Tony jerked away and started making shooing motions with his hands. The wolf ignored this completely and took a step forward for everyone backward that Tony made.

“I wouldn’t make any sharp movements, Tony,” Natasha said. “That wolf took out two armed attackers already.”

“Wait, what? You let that thing on my plane? You let that thing in my home?”

Steve quickly interrupted, “He was protecting me. Though I don’t know why.”

“Oh I think we all know why,” Sam said, poking Steve in the ribs.

Tony stilled and made a grimace as the wolf stuck it’s snout in his crotch. Steve could hear Clint’s bark of laughter behind him. The wolf quickly grew bored of Tony and ambled back to stand at Steve’s side. Bruce crouched down to get a better look, but kept his distance, and didn’t make any movements toward their new visitor. The wolf ignored him, and gave every impression of finding the whole thing rather dull. Steve bent down to give him a pat, and almost took a header onto the metal floor. Bruce and Sam caught him quickly putting him back to rights.

“Looks like your balance is a little off, Steve. If you won’t let us take you to a hospital, I’d feel better if you’d at least let JARVIS scan you down in the medical bay,” Bruce said.

The wolf gave a sharp yip. It quickly started moving toward the exit.

“Seems your new buddy agrees,” Sam said. “I make a rule not to argue with predatory carnivores.”

Bruce asked, “Is that why you always let Steve win arguments?”

“Hey!” Steve and Sam said simultaneously.

Bruce smiled at the pair of them.

The three of them followed the wolf, leaving Tony and Clint behind. Right before the doors closed behind them, Steve heard Tony sigh.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

“You and me both, shiny-butt,” Clint said.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve woke up with a sour taste in his mouth. He was a little disoriented. The lights came up slowly and he realized he was in his room in the tower. He didn’t remember getting there. With a groan, he leaned up on his elbows. There was a grumble by his leg and he looked down to see the wolf lying on the covers next to him. He sat up and reached out to pat the rump by his hip. The wolf looked at him over his shoulder.

“Sorry to wake you up.”

The clock told him it was past dinner. He headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth to get rid of the taste. The mirror showed a butterfly bandage on his temple covering a small cut and an ugly bruise. Even though he had slept for several hours, there were dark circles under his eyes. Steve brushed his teeth slowly, and ended up drinking a couple of handfuls of water from the faucet not realizing how thirsty he was. When he came back out, the wolf was sitting patiently next to the bed.

“Dinner?”

The communal kitchen was empty when they got downstairs, but the TV was on in the living area. Steve dug a large bowl out of one of the cabinets and filled it with water. He sat it on the floor for the wolf and proceeded to dig around in the fridge for something to make.

“Back in the land of the living, are you?” Bruce asked.

“Hey, yeah. I don’t remember going to my room. How were the scans?”

“You were out of it a bit after that dizzy spell. Losing stuff after you sleep is not unusual with a head injury. JARVIS agrees that you have a hard head, if that helps.”

“Funny. You hungry?”

Bruce sat down at the kitchen island and said, “I already ate.”

Steve glanced away from the fridge to the wolf who had finished drinking his fill and was now sniffing around the new area.

“I’m not sure what I should feed him,” Steve said.

“Wolves eat large prey like caribou. I think any kind of meat should be fine, but you’ll probably want to get a professional opinion at some point. I can check with some of my biology contacts if you like. I think it’s illegal to own a wolf, but there are wolf rescue and rehabilitation places. They take in wolves and crossbreeds, which I think are also illegal to own in a lot of states. We probably shouldn’t have brought him across state lines really.”

“We should find some place nice for him. He saved my life.”

The wolf had made a circuit of the room and returned to sit down on Steve’s foot. He looked up with brows lifted, ears perked. Steve chuckled at the expression. He pulled out the ham he had baked the day before. There a bit left since Thor was still out of town, and Steve had left for his mission that morning. He laid the platter on the floor for his friend and then dug around for sandwich components. After making a stack of sandwiches and pulling out two bottles of water, he joined Bruce at the island. They silently watched the wolf slide the platter around the floor trying to finish all of the ham.

“He’s obviously been around people before. Wolves in the wild are notoriously shy despite their reputation.”

Steve nodded. His friend didn’t seem so big or bad while trying to keep the platter in one spot on the smooth tiles. Then again he had taken out two armed men. That thought made him pause.

“He killed two people, would they put him down if we handed him over?”

“That’s a possibility, Steve. I’m not really sure how it works. He is dangerous. Just because he likes you, and doesn’t mind the rest of us, doesn’t mean that he won’t see someone else as a threat.”

Steve sighed.

“There’s just something about him. He wasn’t scared of me, and he helped me. I don’t want him punished because of that.”

“Let me call my University friend. She might know more, or would be able to point us to someone who does.” 

After eating, Steve headed down to the lobby with the wolf. It was after business hours, so the only ones to give them strange looks were the security staff. There was a tiny grassy patch with some landscaping off to the side of the Stark Tower entrance. It was sheltered next to one of the modern arced corners of the building. It wasn’t until Steve stood on the sidewalk that he realized he didn’t have anything to clean up after the wolf. He’d seen plenty of people out with their dogs when he jogged in the mornings, so he was familiar with the procedure even though he’d never owned a pet. Thankfully, it appeared his friend was only concerned with watering the foliage. Once that was done, Steve led the wolf back inside hurriedly. He didn’t have a leash or collar, and he was worried what any passing policeman would have to say about a wolf running loose in the city.

By the time they got back up to the living room, the TV was off and Bruce had disappeared. Steve sat down on the couch and flipped the large flatscreen back on. He wasn’t a fan of much television, but Natasha had gotten him hooked on a classic movie channel where he could see familiar films from his time, and catch up on the ones he had missed in the interim. The wolf hopped up on the couch beside him as if he owned it. Steve bit his lip and wondered if he should make him get down. He was sure Tony wouldn’t approve, but it felt nice having the warmth against his leg. His mind was made up when the wolf propped his head up on Steve’s knee. The expressive eyes looked over at him.

“Okay, okay,” he said, and obediently started scratching behind the furry ears. “I’m not sure who exactly is getting trained here.” The wolf closed his eyes and went back to sleep while Steve smiled softly in the glow of the television.

Steve woke to a hand on his shoulder shaking him slightly. His neck gave him a twinge as he straightened out of his slumped position on the couch. Again he hadn’t remembered falling asleep. He blinked up dazedly at Tony who was bent over him with a concerned look on his face.

“You with me soldier?”

“Hey, yeah, sorry,” he replied, rubbing his eyes.

“Concussions make you sleepy. I know how it goes. But if you want to sleep you should be in bed. It’s late. Also notice how diplomatic I’m being by not pointing out that the wolf is on the couch.”

“But you just did.”

“Diplomacy is not my strong suit. Just ask Pepper.”

As if he knew they were talking about him, the wolf lifted his head up and licked Tony under the chin. Tony jerked back in response. Steve reached out and pulled the wolf’s head against his chest. He was afraid that the sudden movement would startle the animal. Tony looked uncomfortable and wiped at his chin with the back of his hand.

“Sorry. He likes you at least?”

Tony stared at the wolf like he’d never seen one before. Tony’s reaction didn’t seem to bother the wolf much. He seemed quite happy to be cuddling with Steve. 

“That is so weird,” Tony said. He walked away shaking his head. Steve was worried that Tony was angry right up until he heard him yell through the closing elevator doors. “Go to bed!”


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Steve woke up at his usual time for his morning run. The effects of the concussion were gone, and his knee was just a bit stiff. He stretched out carefully. The wolf was content to take his warm spot under the covers. He wasn’t too happy with fur getting all over his sheets, but he figured he needed to change them when he got back anyway. He did a shorter circuit than usual so as not to re-injure his knee, taking the time to walk back as a cool down. The city was starting to come to life around him as businesses opened for the day. There was a little coffee shop a street over from the tower in a narrow older building hedged in between taller glass and steel offices. They made really good homemade bagels that all the Avengers had become addicted to. He grabbed a dozen on his way back and left them on the counter for whoever got up early. After a quick shower, he took the wolf out quickly, this time with more preparation. There were some strange looks from people heading into the tower early, but no one approached him about having an animal off leash. The morning receptionist, Ronnesha, was just getting situated as Steve came back inside. She was a middle-aged mother of three with nerves of steel. Steve had seen her make seasoned CEOs quake, reporters cry, and Tony blush. Steve adored her.

“What. Is. That.”

“Um, it’s a wolf, ma’am.”

“A wolf! I know you Avengers and Anthony are up there doing who knows what, but now you’ve got wild animals running around too? Hell, I though Anthony was bad enough on his own without you importing more.”

She insisted on calling Tony by his full name, which he hated. Steve was pretty sure that was the whole reason she did it.

“It’s just temporary until we can find a good rescue place for him,” Steve said, looking down at his new companion with a sigh.

“Uh huh. That’s what Little K said when he brought that half drowned kitten home. I’ve had that damn cat six years. I’ll give you one guess as to who has taken care of it all this time.”

“I’m not sure this is the same thing.”

“I’d believe you if you weren’t making the same face he did then. I suspect Anthony is having hives about it?”

Steve chuckled.

“Kind of. I don’t think he knows what to do around animals. He got a friendly lick last night and you’d think this big fella had been going for his throat.”

“Ha! Not enough meat on him to bother, I’d say. From what I’ve heard, I bet he wasn’t allowed to have a pet growing up. Too distracting from his work, poor thing.”

Despite her good natured war with Tony, Ronnesha always looked out for him. Most of their interactions revolved around her insulting him to get him to fatten up. Tony always acted like he hated dealing with her, but from what Ms. Potts told him, she got one of the bigger Christmas bonuses every year paid out by Tony’s personal account not the corporate one. 

“I thought you didn’t even like the cat,” Steve said.

“I wouldn’t have fed the dumb thing for six years if I didn’t.”

“I wanted a dog really badly when I was a kid, but mom and I couldn’t afford it. Plus, there were my allergies and asthma to consider. Probably would have been hard for me to keep one even if we had had the money.”

Ronnesha tilted her head and gave him a motherly look.

“Well now you don’t have either problem, and Anthony could probably use a distraction.”

Before Steve could reply, someone came up to the desk and Ronnesha had to get to work. He nodded a goodbye at her and headed for the private elevator. 

“JARVIS?” Steve asked as the elevator ascended.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Has Tony ever had any pets?”

“He considered adopting a Playboy Bunny once, but I gather that’s not exactly what you mean?” JARVIS replied, dryly.

It took Steve a moment to get it, but the joke wasn’t completely lost on him. Clint had a collection of vintage Playboys that he’d thought Steve would appreciate borrowing. Steve wouldn’t accept them outright so he kept finding them stashed in his room in odd places. It was Clint’s idea of hide and seek. Sam stole them whenever he found them, and then claimed ignorance whenever Clint confronted him about their whereabouts. Steve just tried to stay out of it.

“JARVIS,” Steve said, admonishingly.

“There have been no pets since the time of my creation. Sir has certainly never mentioned having one.”

“Do you think he’s really upset about having him here?” Steve asked, looking at the wolf. JARVIS was a better judge of Tony’s mood and temperament than almost anyone, but he was also very protective of his creator.

There was a slight pause before JARVIS replied, “He has not stated any feelings in the matter to me. I think Sir would be more vocal about any issue he had with the arrangement, if in fact there was one.”

“Yeah, Tony’s not exactly quiet when it comes to his opinion.”

“As you say, Captain.” 

Once back in his apartment, the wolf wondered over to the floor to ceiling windows and plopped down in a bright patch of sunlight. He looked out over the city just as he had looked out over the mountain they had met on.

“Master of all you survey,” Steve mumbled.

He went over to the desk where he kept his art supplies and gathered up his sketch book. He’d promised himself on the mountain that he’d draw the wolf. There was no time like the present. He drew for several hours. The wolf rolled around in the patch of sunlight every so often offering Steve a different pose whether he knew it or not. There were a couple of breaks here and there when one or the other of them would move over to the kitchen for a drink. It was a quiet, peaceful morning, just what Steve needed to recover. After lunch, JARVIS contacted Steve to head to the communal floor. Bruce’s college friend had arrived to talk to them. Steve looked down at the half full sketchbook with a small smile. At least he would have something to remember his new friend by.

Bruce introduced Karen Goldman once they arrived. She was a short woman with long dark hair that was just showing signs of starting to go gray. Her face was kind, but weathered as if she spent a lot of time outdoors. Steve was surprised by the strength of her handshake. She took no time bending down to take a look at the wolf. She held out what looked like beef jerky, and the wolf became friendly enough to allow her to run her hands along his back and legs. Steve noticed she was careful to avoid touching the wounded one.

“Well he’s not a crossbreed. Definitely all gray wolf. I’m surprised at how sociable he is. They don’t really like people. Even ones bred in captivity.”

“Do you think he was someone’s pet?” Bruce asked.

“It’s possible, but given the area you said you found him in he’d more likely be a loner out of one of the northern Yellowstone packs. Packs are basically family units formed under a male and female Alpha pair. Sometimes wolves will break off to join other packs. It’s what keeps the bloodlines from becoming too weak. Several states have passed laws making it legal to kill them. From what I hear from colleagues a lot of packs have been broken up because of hunting, making individuals more frequent.”

Karen stood up and the moment she had moved away, the wolf came to stand by Steve again. He could feel the warmth pressed against his leg.

“If that had happened to him, wouldn’t that make him more wary of people?” Steve asked.

“Typically, yes. I’m not sure why he’s taken to you.”

“He protected me from some men. He… he killed them. Will you have to put him down?”

Karen lips pursed.

“That’s not really my call to make. You said he protected you?”

“They were trying to kill me. They shot down the plane I was in, and came after me with guns. That’s how he hurt his leg. One of the bullets grazed him,” Steve said, indicating the new bandage he had replaced that morning.

“That’s not behavior I’ve ever heard of in a wolf. Well…”

Bruce said, “What?”

“They’d attack to protect the pack.”

“You’re saying that after ten minutes sitting near me, I was pack?”

“I don’t know what to tell you. All his behavior indicators are outside the norms. I can tell you that wolves have a strong sense of identity as a species. I’ve seen wolves take in lone cubs or wounded wolves that aren’t members of their own pack despite the burden it would cause them.”

Bruce chuckled.

“I suppose you were a bit of both at the time, Steve.”

“Very funny.”

“Bruce might have something there. If he has decided that you—and by extension your friends here—are pack, it’s going to be very difficult to remove him. He won’t take it well. We’d probably have to tranquilize him, and trying to integrate him with other wolves at a sanctuary will be more difficult.”

“Is there a sanctuary you have in mind?” Bruce asked.

“There’s the New York Wolf Conservation Center. I can get in contact with them for you.”

Steve crouched and the wolf moved in between his legs. He had to catch his balance as the wolf nuzzled hard against his chest. Bruce and Karen talked specifics above them as Steve buried his face into soft fur. Karen left not too long after. Bruce came back from escorting her out to find Steve and the wolf play wrestling on the dining room floor.

“She said she’d call me tomorrow once she’s spoken to them.”

Steve nodded without looking up.

“Looks like the furry one isn’t alone in getting attached. It’s a good place, Steve. Otherwise, Karen wouldn’t have recommended it.”

“I know.”

It was going on dusk when Steve took the wolf back out to the small patch of grass. The business crowd had cleared for the day, but the streets were still busy. He was just cleaning up the mess, when the short whoop of a siren startled the two of them. A patrol car had pulled up to the curb and flipped on its lights. The officers approached Steve as he was throwing the bag into a nearby trash can. The wolf had backed against the side of the tower. Both of the men kept their hands on the butts of their weapons. Steve knew that he was an imposing figure due to his size, so he forced himself to relax. They were just doing their jobs.

“Officers,” he said, stepping in front of the wolf.

“Sir, you’re going to have to have that animal on a leash,” the younger of the two said eyeing the wolf around Steve’s leg.

“I understand. It’s a new situation and I haven’t had the opportunity to get one yet. I’m keeping a sharp eye on him.”

The older officer nodded.

“I appreciate that, sir, but you need to have it licensed and on a leash. Do you live around here?”

“I live right here,” he said, motioning to the building behind them.

The older officer snorted.

“You live in Stark Tower?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Son, it’s an office building no one lives in there but the man who owns it.”

“Well, him and the other Avengers,” the younger one said.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. There was a pregnant pause before the younger officer made a choking noise.

“Oh my god, you’re Captain America.”

The two officers looked at each other awkwardly. Steve sighed.

“Officers, I know I’m in the wrong here. If you need to write me a citation, so be it, no matter who I am.”

The younger officer made a face at his partner. The older man sighed.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” he said. “If this is a new situation as you said, we can make allowances, but you need to get a leash and get him licensed.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You have a good night, Captain.”

“Thank you, sir,” Steve said.

He shooed the wolf back into the lobby as quickly as possible. Bruce had forwarded him an email from Karen about what he’d need to take care of the wolf. With JARVIS’ help, he ordered some dog products and set up food delivery that met the dietary guidelines Karen had set up. There wasn’t any word from the Conservation Center yet, but she left her number for Steve to call if he had any questions.


	4. Chapter 4

The dog stuff arrived the next morning. Steve was worried about the collar, and sure enough he had a fight on his hands. The wolf didn’t like having something around his neck. Once it was on, he scratched at it violently for a bit. Finally giving up, he went to go sulk on Steve’s bed. Steve felt awful, but by lunch time the transgression must have been forgiven. They ate together, Steve at the small table in his apartment, with the wolf on the floor beside him. They tested out the leash that night with little trouble. The wolf didn’t seem to want to venture too far from Steve’s side, so there was no tug-of-war. Steve stopped off at the communal floor to find Clint playing a video game. He sat down to watch and the wolf hopped up between the two of them on the couch. Steve had tried some of Clint’s games, which usually involved shady men sneaking around and stabbing people from behind without being caught, but he preferred watching Clint play.

“Don’t you get enough of this sort of thing at work?” Steve asked.

“Nah, I’m usually at a distance. Natasha does all the up close sneaky work. She’s better at it than I am. This way I get to feel like a badass, even though I suck at this stuff. I wish they’d let you play as a girl in most of these games. Then I could complete the experience.”

“So basically you want to be Natasha when you grow up?”

“Pretty much. Don’t you?”

Steve thought about it a moment.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Clint was jumping around on rooftops and dropping down on unsuspecting guards for a while before he spoke again.

“What are you going to name him?”

“Huh?”

“The wolf. You should name him,” Clint said.

“He’s not really a pet.”

Clint gave him a wry look out of the corner of his eye.

“Dude, he’s got a collar now. Collar equals pet, equals name.”

“I found him in Montana. I suppose I could call him that.”

The game paused and Clint dropped the controller into his lap. He turned and gave Steve a serious look.

“No. It brings bad connotations.”

“What?”

“You don’t want a wolf associated with Hannah Montana.”

“What is—“

“You don’t want to know. How about Sky instead?”

“Why Sky?”

“Montana…it’s big sky country. It’s like their motto for ads and stuff.”

“States have advertising?”

“Tourism.”

“Oh,” Steve said. “Sky’s fine. I doubt he’ll come to it or anything. Plus the Conservation Center may want to call him something else.”

“Captain America is giving them a wolf. They’ll call it whatever you do.”

Clint returned to his game and during the cut scenes his hand would fall onto Sky’s neck. He soaked up the attention of Clint rubbing his head and Steve stroking his back. The elevator opened not to long after. Steve looked back over the couch to see Tony come in with a haggard expression. He was wearing a suit, so he hadn’t yet been down to his workshop. Steve tracked him as he wandered over to the bar and poured himself a drink before joining them. Tony paused half way into the chair next to Steve’s end of the couch when he saw Sky.

“On the couch again.”

Steve said, “So much for diplomacy. I’ll vacuum the couch later, if it makes you feel better.”

Tony finished flopping into his seat. 

“Hard day at work, honey?” Clint asked, while viciously dispatching someone with prejudice.

Tony snorted.

“Yeah come over here and rub my feet.”

Clint managed to stab another guard in the face with one hand on the controller as he flipped Tony off with the other hand. Tony chuckled in response before taking a long drink. Steve watched him out of the corner of his eye while facing the television. He did look like he’d had a hard day. They all liked to make fun of playboy Tony, but the truth of the matter was being the face of Stark Industries, head of Research and Development, government contract consultant, and super hero all at once had to take its toll. At least with Pepper firmly in the CEO position, Tony had one less hat to wear. The man in question sprawled further in the chair with his head bent back. Sky hopped off the couch and made his way over to Tony. He sat between Tony’s sprawled legs and when he didn’t receive attention immediately, he flopped his head down on Tony’s thigh. Tony’s head popped up and he looked down at the wolf with confusion. Steve pointedly kept his eyes on the TV, ignoring the look he knew Tony was giving him. He fully expected a complaint about fur on his expensive suit. Instead, Tony switched his drink to his left hand and gently reached out to touch Sky’s head. The wolf’s tail brushed against the floor in a half wag. Encouraged, Tony began to pet the wolf. Steve used the distraction to actually look at him. Tony’s eyes were tired, but he had the same look on his face that he usually wore when he was staring at something on his workbench. The thought that Tony found receiving affection from an animal and then returning it being as confusing as working out a new piece of technology made Steve’s heart ache. Steve knew that his getting attached to Sky was more a sign of his own loneliness than anything. Tony had been much more apprehensive about Sky, and yet the wolf found him fascinating for some reason. 

Sky made a playful grumbling noise and pushed his way further into Tony’s lap.

“Hey! Hey!”

He kept angling his head to get Tony’s hand under the collar. Steve suddenly laughed which made Tony and Clint jump. They both looked at him in surprise. Clint had even paused the game. Steve didn’t know why his laugh was so shocking. He pointed at the wolf.

“He’s figured out Tony is the smart one. If anyone can get the collar off it’s him.”

The two kept staring at him even while Tony tried to push Sky off of him.

“What?” Steve asked.

“First time I’ve heard you full out laugh, Steve,” Clint said. “I wasn’t sure you knew how.”

“How many times do I have to tell you guys? I’m not a robot.”

“Until fuzzy-butt here adopted you, could have fooled me,” Tony said. He looked down a Sky and shoved at him some more. “Then again, robots I understand, so maybe not.”

Steve frowned at the comment but reached over to help Tony.

“Sky, get down.”

“Oh god, you’ve named it! You never name them! We’ll never be rid of it!” Tony said, finishing off his whiskey while Steve ended up on the floor wrestling with an excitable wolf.

Clint went back to his game while rolling his eyes. Tony made a quick exit. Steve ended up on his back getting his face licked. How Sky ended up in the dominant position he wasn’t sure. Some of the research links and comments that Karen had provided about wolves circled in Steve’s mind. Maybe Sky really had taken him in under his wing. Maybe they were all wounded cubs in their own way.

The leash made a big difference. The next morning, Steve took Sky with him and Sam on their morning jog. All of them loved to run, plus seeing two large guys and a large animal pelting toward them tended to make even the most pushy of New Yorkers clear the path. Steve had decided to ignore the anxiety he had about the sanctuary taking Sky. Karen hadn’t replied to him or Bruce yet, but the radio silence was telling. 

After a shower and breakfast, Steve caught up on some Avengers paperwork, or at least the digital equivalent. He looked into the files for the investigation of the plane crash. So far the FBI had yet to identify any information about the attackers, nor how they even knew the flight path of the plane. They were also coming up empty on what kind of weapon had been used. The only clue they had was a strange tattoo that each of the attackers had on their base of their neck. It wasn’t a symbol that Steve recognized, but he memorized it all the same. Everyone was jumpy after the Hydra infiltration of SHIELD. It was easy to see conspiracies at every turn. Steve wasn’t sure if the attack was related or not.

Around lunch time, JARVIS interrupted his work to ask him to join the other Avengers on the communal floor. Steve and Sky stepped out of the elevator to find the others gathered around multiple projected screens. Tony was on the phone with someone. 

“What’s going on?” Steve asked.

Natasha pointed to one of the screens showing a website. There were pictures of Steve and Sky from that morning, and some of him taking the wolf out the night before.

“Celebrity tabloid site ran with the story not long after you got back this morning. It’s now all over the regular press as well.”

The title over the photos read “Captain America’s Wolf!” Another of the screens had one of the news channels doing a round robin panel. Natasha made a motion with her hand and the sound was piped into the room.

“New York City has laws against wild animals. Laws that the Captain is flagrantly violating. This constitutes a public danger! We all are thankful to the Avengers and to the Captain in particular for his service, but no one is above the law.”

The hostess broke in saying, “Barry, no one is arguing statutes here, but we know that celebrities get away with this kind of behavior all of the time? Do you think the city will take action?”

“If they don’t it’s possible that they could be liable. I don’t see how they couldn’t, Anita.”

Natasha swiped with her hand again, muting the sound.

Steve said, “It’s not like I’m keeping him. No one’s bothered to contact me about all this.”

Tony pressed his phone to his shoulder and gave Steve a look.

“You are saying nothing to the press. Absolutely nothing. I have my people working on this.”

“Tony…”

“Nope, zip it. You will not engage with these vultures, Steve. Trust me. I know how this game works.”

Natasha said, “He’s right, Steve. It’s best to stay out of it.”

“I’m afraid I also have bad news,” Bruce said, with an apologetic look. “Karen got back to me. Given that Sky has a history of violent behavior to humans, the sanctuary is refusing to take him. She’s started looking at others, but it’s a close community. Likely the other Sanctuaries already know about Sky, and now with bad press surrounding him, it’s even less likely that one will come forward to take him. Most of them get by on donations. They won’t make a move that could lose them the money they need to stay open.”

“So now what?”

Before anyone could reply, JARVIS interrupted.

“Sir, the authorities are downstairs. I believe they’re here about Sky. There’s a representative from the Mayor’s office as well.”

“Of course they are!” Tony said, with an exasperated huff. He shot Steve a dirty look and started talking faster into his phone while walking to the elevator.

“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble,” Steve said softly.

“It’s not your fault, Steve. Your heart is in the right place. It’s just the circumstances,” Sam said.

The rest of the group broke up to go back to whatever they had been doing. Natasha waved the screens off and followed Steve and Sam over to the windows. Steve sat down on the floor and Sky sat next to him with a curious look. Natasha joined him on his other side. Sam leaned back against the window watching the two of them.

“Why does he mean so much to you so quickly?” she asked.

“I’ve been trying to figure it out. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the loneliness. There’s just something about him. Why did he save me? Why doesn’t he act like a wolf?”

“You have friends now that care about you. I can understand being lonely, Steve, believe me, but things aren’t like they were when you first woke up,” Sam said.

“I know that. I do. It’s just… When he looks at me, he just sees Steve, the guy who feeds him and takes care of him. It’s stupid, I know.”

Natasha shook her head and said, “It’s not stupid. It’s not stupid at all.”

If anyone could understand this it’d be Natasha. Before everything went crazy his old SHIELD therapist said he should talk to people more, but he’s not even sure about his feelings in his head most days. How can he explain them to other people? Plus, it always feels like he’s burdening them. Natasha has to deal with people’s perception of her all the time. She shouldn’t have to try and carry Steve’s worries too. Plus, his therapist was probably Hydra anyway. Sky yawns at them and presses his nose against his reflection in the glass. Steve’s prepared for Animal Control to show up to take Sky away, but when the elevator dings a little while later, it’s just Tony who enters.

“What happened?”

“I told you I’d take care of it, and I did.”

“How?” Natasha asks, gracefully getting to her feet.

“I told them the truth. We’re keeping the wolf because he’s material evidence in a federal investigation.”

“And how do you figure that, Tony?”  
“We still don’t know who tried to kill Steve or why. The only evidence we have is the wreckage which Bruce, JARVIS, and I have gone over with a fine tooth comb and come up with bubkes. That leaves the two guys the FBI have in their morgue. They were killed by Sky, ergo he’s evidence same as a gun would be in this case.” 

Steve stood up angrily and said, “You told them he killed people? They’ll put him down!”

“Relax, Freedom Fries, I just told them he was evidence in a case that was clearly above their pay grade much less their clearance. “

“And how long do you think that will last, Tony?” Natasha asked.

“Long enough for my other plans to fall into place. Now if you will excuse me, I have actual work that doesn’t involve the wild kingdom to do.”

When Sky needed to go out, Steve gritted his teeth and headed outside. Stark security had pushed the reporters and paparazzi back to keep them from blocking the entrance. Still the amount of noise they made calling out to him was a problem as it put Sky on edge. Steve squatted down to block Sky from view while he growled softly. The whole thing was a wash, and Steve braced himself for having to clean up the inevitable mess in the apartment later. It was as he was turning back to the doors when the voices changed to insults. He looked over and saw a group of protesters were among the throng, holding up signs and calling him everything under the sun. “Animals should be free!” one of the signs said in blood red paint. Steve headed back inside with a sigh.


	5. Chapter 5

That night Steve woke from a nightmare with a harsh shiver. It had been a while since he’d had one, probably due to Sky’s comforting presence. When he reached out, it was to find cold blankets.

“JARVIS, lights.”

Sky was gone, and when he stepped into the living area, he found it empty as well.

“JARVIS, where’s Sky?”

“He is currently on the couch in the workshop, Captain.”

Steve rubbed at his eyes and had to think a minute about what the AI had said.

“Wait, he’s where? How did he get down there?”

“I’m afraid that was my doing. He got up an hour ago and started scratching at the elevator. I opened the doors and took him to the common room, but he didn’t seem satisfied with that. For his own safety, I didn’t want him wondering the tower unsupervised. The only one awake was Sir. So I let him off on the lab level.”

“And how did Tony react to that?”

There was a pause, and from JARVIS who could shame most supercomputers according to Tony, pauses in providing information were always telling.

“Sir is not currently aware of the situation.”

“He hasn’t noticed?” Steve asked. It was highly likely as Tony tended to ignore everything when he was concentrating heavily on a project. Again there was a pause.

“Not as such.”

Steve headed for the elevator, and when the doors opened to the labs, he followed the hall down to Tony’s workshop. He hadn’t been there very often after moving in to the tower. Occasionally, Tony would have him come down to test new armor or equipment for the field, but mostly everyone just left Tony to himself. He seemed to hate being interrupted, or would ignore any guests completely while caught up in his work. The workshop was quiet when JARVIS opened the door for him. Technically he didn’t have access to the floor, but he’d never actually been turned away before. Usually Tony, or more often JARVIS passed him through security. The robots that were always buzzing around getting yelled at by Tony were shut down against a wall probably recharging for the night. There were a few hologram displays floating around the main computer area, but Tony was nowhere in sight. Steve walked over to the sitting area. An expensive leather couch dominated the corner, with a tiny kitchenette tucked away against the wall. It wasn’t until he was close enough to see over the back of the couch that he realized why JARVIS had paused.

Tony didn’t know that Sky was in the lab, because Tony was dead asleep on the couch. He was sprawled out on his back with one arm hanging off the side, brushing the floor. Sky had joined him by pressing in between Tony’s hip and the back of the couch. Both of them were snoring softly in harmony. Steve put a hand over his mouth to hold in the tired giggle that tried to escape. He shuffled back to the work bench and leaned against it trying to hold in his mirth at the synchronized snores going on behind him.

“I thought you said Tony was the only one awake,” Steve said, softly.

JARVIS’ voice came out of the computer terminal by Steve’s elbow instead over the workshop speakers in an equally soft tone.

“He was when I directed Sky’s elevator down to this level. Between here and there, Sir had other ideas.”

“He falls asleep fast?”

“Quite the contrary as Sir has trouble sleeping on the best of days, but he’s been pushing himself excessively since your crash. He’s been down here every night going over the data trying to find a solution, but despite my council he hasn’t lessened his daytime schedule to compensate for the extra workload.”

“He’s been running himself ragged,” Steve said, sobering at the new information.

“Yes.”

“I knew he looked tired yesterday. I should have said something.”

JARVIS said, “I doubt Sir would have taken that well. In my experience, he doesn’t like showing weakness to anyone, especially himself.”

“Yeah that’s been my experience too. Well, Sky seems to be happy enough to sleep down here. Maybe Tony needs him more tonight than I do. I’ll head back up. Wake me if Tony gets up. I’ll see what I can to about making him get some sleep.”

“Hopefully Sir has reached his limits for the moment. I’ll see about rescheduling his morning appointments. He won’t be pleased, but my main function is keeping him safe and healthy.”

“Thanks for looking out for him, JARVIS. I promise you I’ll start paying more attention. There’s only so much an AI can do, even one as amazing as you.”

“Thank you, Captain. Sleep well.”

Despite the interruption in his night, Steve woke early the next morning and went about his routine. He hit the gym instead of going for his usual run. He didn’t want to go outside and face the press and animal rights activists. He didn’t hold any ill will toward either group, but he also didn’t want to have to interact with them first thing in the morning. After stress testing Tony’s new punching bag, and a quick shower, Steve headed for the common floor. The kitchen was empty when he entered, but it was still a little early for the others. Steve decided to make breakfast for everyone. He was almost finished with the bacon when the kitchen computer station beeped at him. He wiped off his greasy hand before swiping the screen. A rumpled looking Tony glowered at him.

“Come and get your animal,” he said.

“Bring him upstairs and have breakfast,” Steve replied, and swiped to close the connection before Tony could respond. 

He turned back to the stove with a hum and put the eggs on to cook. The sound of the elevator made him smile. Sky was immediately at his side trying to push in between Steve and the stove. He could hear Tony moving into one of the stools on the other side of the kitchen island behind him. Steve tossed a piece of bacon across the kitchen to get Sky out of his way. He dished the eggs onto a platter and snagged the coffee pot before turning to the island. Tony’s head was propped on his fist and his eyes were still mostly shut. Given the current time and when he’d crashed on the couch, Tony still hadn’t had a full night’s sleep. Steve almost thought about putting the coffee back. The smell must have wafted over though because his eyes opened a bit more and he started groping in front of him. Steve took pity on him filling one of the mugs and setting it within reach. Sky’s paws hit the counter beside him as he looked over at the food. Steve grabbed his collar and pulled him down. He received a sour look in response.

“No.”

“Not letting him eat at the table? You let him do everything else,” Tony said, yawning half way through.

“That’s what he gets for being out all hours with questionable company.”

Tony narrowed his eyes over the top of his mug. Steve smiled back then went to get the rest of the food.

They had a companionable meal despite the lack in conversation. Tony was still groggy and picked at his food, while Steve ate enough for three men. Once he was awake enough, Tony started groping for the nearest interface. He slid his plate over to Steve and concentrated on the tablet and his third cup of coffee. Steve finished off the leftovers and took the plates to the dishwasher. Sky still needed to be taken out, though he didn’t seem in a hurry about it. He passed Bruce on the way to the elevator and directed him toward breakfast. It was a quick trip to his apartment for the leash. By the time he got back, Natasha and Sam had also shown up for breakfast. She and Bruce were talking softly while Tony argued with JARVIS. He’d discovered his rescheduled meetings then. Sam was buttering toast with gusto. He shot Steve a grin and dug into his eggs. Steve hooked up Sky and left them to it. It was early enough still that there were only a few diehard paparazzi outside. They were surprisingly respectful and took pictures quietly while Sky did his business. Steve wasn’t sure who would buy pictures of him picking up wolf poo. Then again nothing really surprised him much about the future anymore.

When he got back upstairs, Tony had vanished, with a sleepy pajama clad Clint taking his place. Sky knew a mark when he saw one, and was soon perched between Clint’s legs enjoying the occasional piece of bacon handed down to him. Steve went back around into the kitchen and took Bruce and Natasha’s empty plates for them. Returning to the island he braced his hands on the counter and addressed his teammates.

“I found out some interesting news last night,” he said waiting for their attention. “Tony’s been running himself ragged the past few days. Between researching the crash and his regular duties he’s been missing sleep.”

“That’s Tony’s usual procedure, though isn’t it?” Sam asked.

“Normally it’s that way for both of us, but I’ve been trying to keep to a regular sleep pattern lately. Lack of sleep makes me grouchy and I think we’re all better avoiding that under most circumstances,” Bruce said.

Steve looked at Natasha. She’d had the most experience with Tony as a whole.

“Tony’s always neglected taking care of himself. That’s why JARVIS exists, after all. But I agree with you. While it worked okay for him before Iron Man, now it could be a hazard not just to him but us as well. Plus, he’d be scandalized for anyone to say it, but he’s not getting any younger. If he wants to focus on the team and his work as Iron Man, something is going to have to give.”

“I don’t want to force any ultimatums, because I know Stark Industries is just as important to him as Iron Man. I just don’t want him to take on so much that it affects his health.”  
Clint snorted and said through a mouth full of eggs, “Good luck with that conversation.”

“I think this time it’s more because of your close call, Steve. That phone call of yours scared him. He was about to fly out ahead in his armor and leave the rest of us here. I managed to calm him down enough for us to get him on the quinjet,” Bruce said.

“Why? I mean, I appreciate it a lot, but it’s not like we’re really close.”

“I think he’d be that way about any of us,” Natasha said. “He’s never had a team before. He invited us to live with him. I think it’s been good for him too. Also, he does really admire you, in his own way.”

“He does seem really isolated sometimes. I thought he just liked his space, but it’s just a front, huh?”

Bruce tilted his head.

“We all have our own walls, Steve. So, what’s the plan? How do you stop Tony Stark from being Tony Stark?”

“That’s the problem. If we point it out, he’ll just shut us down.”

“A silent campaign then,” Natasha said.

Bruce said, “Taking care of him without him knowing it? If he finds out…”

“Let me take care of that, if it happens,” Steve said. “The rest of us just need to do what we can to make Tony’s life a little easier.”

Bruce sighed.

“I’ll see what I can do in the lab. We tend to hide on our own floors when we’re not working together. I’ll make an effort to check up on him more often.”

“Good,” Steve said. “Natasha, I’d appreciate it if you could talk to Ms. Potts. I think we could use her input on this, and if she’s aware of the issue maybe she can do something about the SI side of things?”

“Consider it done.”

“Clint, you have my permission to annoy him to your heart’s content.”

The four of them stared at him.

“What? He loves arguing. Haven’t you ever seen how satisfied and relaxed he is after a pointless argument? Plus, it’s a good way to distract him. Get him to sit down and then get him started on something else.”

Clint saluted. There was a small whine underneath him as Sky realized there was no more bacon.

“Sam, you’re on entertainment duty. If we do more group stuff like movies and such, we can convince him to relax by telling him it’s a team activity instead of especially for him.” 

“What are you going to do?” Sam asked.

“I’m going to talk to JARVIS more about his schedule, and I’m going to make sure he goes to bed at night. I have a secret weapon.”

“Please tell me the weapon is not your dick,” Clint said.

“What? No!”

Sam bent over the table laughing. Steve shot him a dirty look.

“Hey I’m not judging. If it is your dick, that’s fine. I just don’t want to know about it.”

“Clint! Why would you… I don’t even understand you sometimes. I’m talking about Sky. He piled up with Tony on the couch in the workshop last night. Maybe Sky was a comfort to him. He seemed a lot less tired this morning despite not getting all that much sleep.”

“I don’t know,” Bruce said. “He doesn’t act like he’s very fond of Sky.”

“And as Natasha pointed out, he doesn’t act like he’s very fond of us most of the time, and yet here we are.”

“Here, here!” Sam said, toasting them all with his coffee.

The rest of them talked over their plans for Tony while Steve did the dishes. It felt good to have a mission, even if it was a small one. The hardest part Steve had found in living in the future was the quiet times. Before Sam and before moving into the tower, Steve had floundered. SHEILD, and by circumstance Hydra, had used that to their advantage to constantly send him on missions. He hated sitting home alone in a world that he didn’t always understand. Having Sam around, and now the other Avengers had changed that a lot. He just wished that he could help Bucky find the same sense of peace. Maybe he was projecting his worry about Bucky onto Tony a little, but at least Tony was someone he could help at the moment. The party broke up as Bruce headed down to his lab, and Clint wandered off to get dressed. Sam and Natasha were talking quietly over in the living area as Steve finished up. He had a sneaking suspicion they were talking about him, but he tried not to listen.

The elevator opened to reveal Ms. Potts. She was heading over toward the living area and Natasha when she pulled up short. Steve glanced over the counter to see that Sky had ambled up to sniff at her expensive looking shoes.

“Oh, hello! So you’re the one causing my PR department headaches,” she said to Sky. “At least you’re a handsome fellow. Not unlike the handsome fellow that usually causes their headaches.”

Without any fear, but amazing balance, she crouched down and started running her fingers through Sky’s fur. Steve came over to join her quickly. He didn’t want Sky’s enthusiasm to knock her over or ruin her clothes.

“Hi, Steve.”

“Ms. Potts.”

“How many times do I have to remind you to call me Pepper?”

“Sorry, Pepper. What brings you up to see us? Not more problems because of Sky?”

“No, I’m afraid we’re still playing the waiting game. Tony said he has something up his sleeve which is slightly more worrying to me than public opinion at the moment. Actually, I came to talk to Natasha, she texted me something about secret plans?”

“Oh that. I’m afraid we’re all in cahoots to try and get some more downtime for Tony. He’s been pushing himself too hard lately and we’re starting to get a little worried.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Are you now?” she said, with a peculiar tone.

Steve felt his face get hot though he wasn’t sure why. He waived off Sky and helped Pepper to her feet.

Natasha had already gotten up to meet them at the end of the sofa. She and Pepper exchanged a friendly hug before they were both off talking a mile a minute. Sam got up and pulled Steve back toward the elevators, Sky following quickly behind them. Steve spent the rest of his day answering fanmail from kids all over the country while Sam and Sky vegged out on his couch watching some really terrible reality tv. Steve would occasionally make comments about the people on the shows and how well they would have fared during the Depression. Sam just kept yelling “Old Fart” over him whenever he tried to speak. Steve couldn’t seem to keep the smile off his face


End file.
